Salt-making apparatus.



Patented July 22, I902.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

J. S. CLARKE.

SALT MAKING APPARATUS.

(Aiaplicatioq filed Oct. 2, 1901. V

No. 705,38l.

(No Model.)

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, No. 705,381. Patented July 22, I902.

J. s. CLARKE.

SALT MAKING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

JOHN SIIURBON CLARKE, OF ST. CLAIR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARIA JOSEPHINE CLARKE, OF ST. CLAIR, MICI*IIGAN.

SALT-.MAKI NG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,381, dated July 22, 1902.

Application filed October 2,1901. Serial No. 'vmos. (No 1110.131.)

To all whom it maycncern.-

Be it known that I,JOHN SHURBON CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing atSt. Clair, in the county of StJClair and State of Michigan, have invented new and usefulImprovements in a Salt-Making Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to salt-making apparatus, and more particularly to an improved to grainer comprising an evaporating-pan, automatic rakes, conveyors, and means for grading the salt into different bins or receptacles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means for producing a clean and sur 5 perior quality of salt, and further objects are to avoid the contamination of the brine in the evaporating-pan by grease used to lubricate the revolving shafts, to provide improved means for agitating the brine to promote 2o evaporation, and generally to improve the details and render more effective apparatus of this character.

, The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and its novel features will be defined inthe appended claims. In the drawings,'Figure 1 is atop plan view of a salt-grainer embodyingthe invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pan with the rakes, shafts, and their operatingchains removed. Fig. 4 is aview in perspective of one of the rakes detached. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the same, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a pipe for spraying water upon the drain-board.

The reference-numeral 1 designates the pan for containing/the brine, one end 2 of which is upwardly inclined to serve as a drainingboard.

3 designates a transverse shaft supported near the front end of the panl and projecting beyond the sides thereof to bear in boxes I, located outside of the pan, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

5 designates a transverse shaft supported at the upper end of the draining-board 2 in outside bearings 6. Upon the shafts 3 and5 are mounted sprocket-wheels 7, around which pass endless chains 8, to which the rakes, hereinafter described, are attached.

Suitable idler-shafts 9, mounted in outside bearings 10, are supported above the pan parallel with the shafts 3 and 5 to guide'and support the endless chains in their movement, and a sprocket-wheel 11 is also mounted in bearings outside of the lower end of the draining-boar'd for a similar purpose.

. The numeral 12 designates the rakes, which are of T shape in cross-section, as shown best in Fig. 4. These rakes are formed at their upper edges with vertical slots 13 to receive securing-hooks 14, which engage,,. the chains 8 to secure the rakes thereto. The lower edge of each rake is formed with a plurality of slots 15 to permit the salt to drain therethrough as itascends the drip-pan 2. This construction and method of attaching the rakes insures a center draft therefor, and from the lower edge of each rake depends a series of blocks 16, loosely secured to the rake by flexible connections 17. These blocks, which I term flippers, serve to agitate the brine and promote evaporation.

. Ij preferably heat the brine by means of steam-pipesarranged as shown in Fig. 3 and comprising a series of longitudinally-disposed pipes 18, all'connected at their front ends by a transverse pipe 19. The rear ends of the two center pipes 18 are connected by a transverse pipe 20, which communicates with an inlet-pipe 21, while the rear ends of the remaining pipes 18 are connected by a dischargepipe 22. This disposition of the steam-pipes insures'an equal distribution of heat throughout thje pan and an even circulation of the steam through all of the pipes. If preferred, the pan may be heated through a fire-box 23. (Indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.) 9o

24. designates a box or receptacle located adjacent to the discharge end. of the drainboard 2 and transversely thereof. This box or receptacle is provided with several discharge-openings 25 in the bottom thereof, and

- within the box near its ends are vertical shafts 26, upon which are mounted sprocket-wheels 27. An endless chain 28 is supported upon The box 24 is arranged within the front end of a bin 30, divided by transverse partitions 31 into a plurality of separate compartments. The top of each of these compartments is normally open and provided with a slide or other suitable closure 33. Upon the top of the bin 3*) is located a longitudinally-disposed frame 34, the sides of which are provided with bearings for transverse shafts 35, around which travels anendless conveyer 36. Rollers 39 are journaled upon the bottom of the frame 34., whereby said frame may move laterally upon the top of the bin 30. The shaft 5 is extended beyond the side of the bin at one end, and upon such extension is mounted a driving-pulley 37, through which power is applied to the shaft 5 to revolve the chains 8, carrying the brakes. Suitable gearing is also provided for revolving the conveyers 28 and 36.

The operation of the apparatus as thus described is as follows: The heated brine within the pan 1 is agitated by the flippers 16, and the salt which accumulates upon the bottom of the pan is carried up upon the drain-board 2 and delivered to the receptacle 24, a suitable defiector, as 38, being interposed between the discharge end of the drain-board and said receptacle. The salt is conveyed by the blades 29 within the box 24 to the discharge-openings 25, through which it falls upon the conveyer 36. This conveyer carries the salt along the top of the bin 30, and it is discharged through those openings from which the slides 33 are removed. As the conveyer 36 is movable laterally, it is obvious that it can be utilized for conveying the salt from any one of the outlets 25 to any desired point within the compartments 31. In this manner the salt may be evenly distributed in any one of the bins.

An important characteristic of my improved construction is that the bearings of the several shafts are located outside and above the top edges of the pan, thus effectually preventing the escape into the pan of oil or drippings from the bearing-boxes.

The construction of the rakes permits the salt to drain as it passes upward upon the drain-board, and the agitating device or flippers attached to the rakes materially expe- (lite and promote evaporation.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, a spray-pipe 4.0 is arranged adjacent to the upper end of the drain-board 2, and by means thereof the salt which accumulates upon the board may be readily washed down upon the bottom of the pan 1.

I claim-- 1. A salt-drainer comprising a pan, an inclined drain-board at one end thereof, an endless chain, a transversely-disposed rake attached to the chain and adapted to bear upon the pan and the board, and an agitating device flexibly secured to the rake.

2. A salt-grainer comprising a pan having its rear end inclined to form a drainingboard; transverse shafts supported in bearings outside of the pan and above the top edges thereof, sprocket-wheels on said shafts, endless chains passing around said sprocketwheels, transversely-disposed rakes attached to said chains, and loosely-depending agitating devices attached to the rakes.

3. In a salt-grainer, the combination with a pan provided with an upwardly inclined draining-board, transverse shafts supported in bearings outside of the pan and above the top edges thereof,transversely-disposed rakes slotted at their lower edges, agitating devices loosely depending from the rakes, a transversely-arranged receptacle to receive the salt from the draining-board, a conveyer within said receptacle, a receiving-bin below said receptacle divided into independent compartments, and a longitudinally-disposed con veyer above said bin.

4. The combination in a salt-grainer, of a brine-pan, a rake therefor having its upper and lower edges slotted, means for operating the rake, hooks mounted in the slots in the upper edge of the rake, and adapted to engage the operating means to secure the rake thereto, agitating devices flexibly connected to the rake, a receptacle to receive the salt from the brine-pan, a conveyer within the receptacle, a receivingbin below the reeepta cle, and a movable conveyer mounted upon the receiving-bin to deposit the salt at different points therein.

5. In a salt-grainer, the combination with a pan provided with an inclined drainingboard; of transverse shafts, endless chains mounted thereon,transversely-disposed rakes secured to said chains, an agitating device flexibly connected to the rakes,a transverselyarranged receptacle to receive the salt from the draining-board, a conveyer within said receptacle, a receiving-bin below the receptacle and divided into independent compartments, and a laterallymovable, longitudinally-disposed conveyer mounted upon the bin and adapted to convey the salt from said receptacle to the bin-compartments.

6. In a salt-grainer, the combination with a brine-pan, of a rake therefor having the lower edge thereof slotted, agitating devices flexibly connected to the rake near the lower edge thereof and intermediate the slots, means for operating the rake, and means for securing the rake to the operating means.

7. In a salt-grainer, a rake therefor having its lower and upper edges slotted, agitating devices connected with the rake, and securing-hooks in the slots on the upper edge of the rake.

8. The combination in a salt-grainer, of a brine-pan, a rake therefor having its upper and lower edges slotted, means for operating the rake, hooks mounted in the slots in the upper edge of the rake, and adapted to engage'the operating means to secure the rake thereto, agitating devices flexibly connected I bin to deposit the salt at different points to the rake,'a receptacle to receive the salt therein. 10 from the brine-pan, and provided with a plu- In testimony whereof I affix my signature rality of discharge-openings, a conveyer within presence of two Witnesses.

5 in the receptacle, a deflector interposed be- JOHN SHURBON CLARKE.

tween the receptacle and the brine-pan, a re- Witnesses: cei ing-bin below the receptacle, and a mov- CHAS. J. MITCHELL,

able conveyer mounted upon the receiving- ARTHUR E. MAW. 

